The Perks of Being Ambidextrous
by sansone
Summary: Kate and Gibbs go ice skating on New Year's Eve. A companion story to "Ice & Hot Chocolate".
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: **I don't own these characters. Sadly, they belong to some other people.  
**AN**: This was supposed to be a one shot, but ended up as a two-chapter story. I already have the second part and I'll be posting it tomorrow. Happy New Year! :)

* * *

They go skating now, from time to time, when their busy schedules allow it. At first, they would ask the rest of the team if they wanted to tag along, would make sure to extend an invitation each time they went, but after a collective lack of enthusiasm on their co-workers' part, it was down to just Kate and Gibbs. Kate knew Gibbs did not believe in coincidences and neither did she _to be honest, _yet she did not object to this new arrangement one bit, conspiracy or not.

After her flight to Indiana got cancelled due to a recent snow storm, Kate was supposed to spend a rather calm New Year's Eve at home with her fellow companions, _Netflix and food_. That was until Gibbs called with a proposition she pondered over for quite some time, _a minute maybe. _The thing is, she was getting better and better each time they went skating and she knew all progress would be lost if she didn't keep it up. She did not mind the company either.

* * *

There aren't a lot of people on the ice rink tonight. Could be the weather – snowflakes brim Kate's vision, but she still thinks the night is beautiful, or rather, _therefore_ – or could be the fact that everyone is home, waiting for the new year to come. Kate _knows _it will happen; she will wake up tomorrow and it will be a year later from the 'yesterday' she was so set on spending at home. But right now, she is content being at the open rink with Gibbs, her hand in his, as the two of them circle around in silence. She is almost used to it, the hand holding. It's just _so convenient _if she sways, on a rare occasion, to have someone hoist her up, save her really from the approaching herds of skaters, who by the way _have knives stuck to their feet, when you think about it_. Then again, she doesn't mind holding his hand either. In fact, she enjoys it quite a lot –

Kate squeezes his fingers and shoots him a smile, "Ever think of playing hockey again?"

"Nope," he is quick to answer.

Kate doesn't press any further. She never does; not even last time when Gibbs brought her a pair of white figure skates. Muttered a simple, _they'd fit you better than me, _and that was that. Kate assumes they belong to one of Gibbs' wives and he was just being practical – she can bet a size six skate is just as dangerous as a seven iron, _maybe more_. Yet she couldn't explain why he barely smiled after the gesture, why he shut himself off and hardly spoke for an hour, which wasn't the part that troubled her; it was the distance in his eyes. Kate almost felt he wasn't there with her that time.

"Do you want to go faster, Kate?" Gibbs asks, a glint in his eye.

She sighs, bracing herself, "Maybe. Just – don't let go, okay? And how about a safe word? Xena?"

"Xena?"

She can feel her cheeks turn crimson, a little embarrassed, "Need to know, Gibbs."

"Okay," he breathes before he begins to pick up speed and Kate's side vision gradually blurs to a festive-colored blob.

It's like sky diving, only vertical: the crisp air whips her skin and the landing – she truly hopes she can pull it off, _upright_. But she trusts him and lets him lead her through the loose maze of people, who languidly glide in circles. At one point, she doesn't know if it's possible to go any faster, but she's with Gibbs and of course it is, _what was she thinking – _

When he slows down, Kate lets out the breath she's been holding, "That was fun."

"Yeah?" he gives her a skeptical look and she figures she is still frowning.

"Positive," her lips quirk up and she turns to face him, changing her direction. She takes his other hand, too, just to be on the safe side.

"Nice, Kate," he beams and then, "Wait, be careful!"

She is not used to falling – it's only happened once – but she already knows it's different. She hadn't made the turn and had lost her balance. It had happened so quickly, Gibbs hadn't been able to pull her up and in fact, she had pulled him down with her.

"Ouch," she braces herself to get up, but the moment she pushes herself up to a sitting position, a sharp pain shoots through her right wrist.

"You okay?" Gibbs asks, already on his feet, hand extended for help.

"I'll be fine," she mumbles, foolishly taking his hand with her wounded one. "Or not," she bites her lip not to cry.

"Let me see, Kate."

"Uh-uh, no. Gibbs, please," she knows her protest is childlike, but she really doesn't want him to touch her hand. Because it hurts, _a lot. _

"We should go see a doctor," he muses, eyes set on the injured hand, which Kate is clutching loosely to her chest with her other one.

"_I _should go see a doctor, Gibbs," she sighs, not especially thrilled to be going to a hospital on New Year's Eve. _Damn, _it'd be crowded, she knows it (she's seen way too many episodes of medical dramas; holidays are a magnet to trauma).

"And I bet _you_ are going to drive yourself –"

"—well, as a matter of fact – I can get a taxi, Gibbs. I don't want to spoil your evening," she admits quietly.

"Come on," he starts skating towards the exit, one hand on the small of her back, propelling her forward. "We'd better get there early before people start setting off fireworks – _homemade fireworks._"

She sighs because she can't fight him and maybe, just maybe, she doesn't want to. "Gibbs, how come you are not hurt?"

"I know how to fall, Kate," he states, helping her step out of the rink. She wonders if her boss is just being literal.


	2. Chapter 2

**AN: **Story now complete! Enjoy reading :)

* * *

Kate's fear was warranted. When they get to the hospital, the emergency room is crowded. After she has checked in, they find some secluded seats, _as far as secluded goes in here_.

She scans the room, absent-minded, still holding her hand to her chest like a dead weight.

"Getting any better?" Gibbs asks, his probing gaze urging her to meet his eye.

Kate musters up a smile, "Maybe." Truth is, _it's not, _but she can't tell him that, can she? Or share her fear that it's actually getting worse.

"Liar," he calls her out and places his hand on her shoulder. "Anything I can do?"

"Pull out your badge and scare the nurse so she can give us preference?" she mumbles, a rather poor attempt at a joke. "She wasn't too impressed by 'broken wrist'."

"Already did that," he presses his fingertips to her tense muscles, lightly trailing a path from her shoulder to the nape of her neck, _nape of her neck – shoulder._

"_Right_," she opens her eyes, which had closed on their own volition. Taking a peak at her wrist, she whimpers for the first time. It's turned red – from all the icing, or rather _snowing,_ she had done on the ride over to the hospital – but it also looks pretty swollen.

"So you were going to spend New Year's with your family?"

"Huh?" it takes Kate some time to realize he is talking to her, _to feel _the gentle squeeze he gives to her side, after having wrapped an arm behind her back. "Yeah, I was – Gibbs? You don't need to –"

"—I bet they're very disappointed you can't make it," he interrupts her, intent on distracting her from the pain.

She sighs, "They understand. It's not like it was up to me, with the weather and all –"

"How do you celebrate anyway?" Gibbs' questions keep on coming, but Kate is not fully over the initial shock of him being so talkative.

"Well, for starters, mom prepares her traditional dinner – and there is lots of food, Gibbs. My brothers, the amount of food they could eat, it's just so –" she giggles, laying her head on his shoulder. "I don't know how they do it," Kate sighs in the crook of his neck and she can feel his laughter. "Now I'm getting hungry –"

"Do you want me to get you anything?" he murmurs, glancing down at her.

Her brain screams _no!_, because if he does, he'll have to move and she doesn't want him to. She rubs her cheek lightly against his shoulder before she pulls away, "Thanks, Gibbs. How about a granola bar?"

* * *

Gibbs is this close to punching the vending machine, because it won't accept his dollar bill. _And a dollar is still a dollar, damn it. _Out of the corner of his eye, he can see movement – punching the machine is no longer an option.

"Need any help, sir?"

At last, the machine accepts some coins. "All good," Gibbs reaches down to get the snack, then smiles at the woman. He recognizes her as the nurse, who'd jotted Kate's name down.

"I'm sorry it's taking so long," her brow furrows and to Gibbs' surprise, she sounds sincere.

"Not your fault," he shrugs a shoulder and is about to go when her voice stops him dead in his tracks.

"You two make a great couple by the way."

Gibbs turns around, perplexed. He is about to deny her claim, but another questions pops in his mind. Typically, he'd brush it off and walk away; _now, _he really wants to know. "What makes you say that?"

The nurse – _Erika, _he read her nametag – had apparently figured out she'd guessed wrong, judging by her flushed face. Yet, she explains, "I mean – you seem so comfortable around each other. Like, you know what to do to make her feel better. And I can tell she trusts you – it's just so –" Erika sighs and blushes some more. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have –"

Gibbs waits for her to get it all out with calm eyes. "You're right," he deadpans, but is quick to add, "Thank you."

The nurse smiles, then walks back to her station, leaving Gibbs with a lot to think about.

* * *

Upon his return, Kate grins at him, "Thanks, Gibbs."

He reciprocates with a crooked smile. He can't help but feel relief when her name gets called,_ at last_, soon after she has finished the snack. "You want me to come with you?" he asks, lightly tugging at her left wrist once she's up.

He can see her hesitate, but then she shakes her head, determined, "I'll be alright. You've already done more than enough–" Before he can say anything, she walks away.

When he is left alone, Gibbs' thoughts drift back to the nurse and her comment. _What was she thinking? _But actually, he knows exactly what she was thinking, as she generously pointed it out. He could easily say she'd crossed a line, disregarded boundaries, yet one thing he can't deny – _she was right. _

_"…as the year comes to an end, think back on the past twelve months. What were the highs and lows? Experience any regrets?"_

It is only then that Gibbs notices the TV set hanging on the opposite wall. He almost laughs at how ironic this is. _God, what is he doing. _

He waits for an hour, maybe longer. When Kate finally comes out, he can't help but smile. As she gets closer, he can see that she's wearing a cast.

"—I really hope you're ambidextrous, Kate – end of the year paperwork is piling up, I'm telling you," Gibbs teases.

"Good thing I can do it both ways then," she shrugs. "Care to sign it, Gibbs?"

He is not given a chance to reply, when the TV blares, "—_and Happy New Year!"_

Kate looks stunned, as if she'd forgotten it was New Year's Eve altogether, and a smile tugs at the corner of his lips, "I know, I didn't expect it either –"

But she doesn't seem too focused on what he's saying. Kate bites her lip, her eyes darting to his mouth for a brief moment. Then she leans in to kiss his cheek, wish him a _happy new year _–

It doesn't work out, it's _that_ simple and it's all Gibbs' fault. When she is inches away, he turns his head – _reflex, instinct? Nope. _He just wants to kiss her lips. They can still keep it professional, he thinks, as he lightly kisses the corner of her mouth. Then he feels her hand loop around his neck, pulling him closer to her; _that could still be two friends kissing, _just the lingering contact of lips. People in Europe do it all the time, after all. When her hand slides from around his neck to clutch a fistful of fabric and she lets out a soft sigh, he is not so sure anymore. When his arms wrap around her waist, when she tilts her head to better capture his lips –

He doesn't pull back after the kiss. He trails a path of delicate kisses up her jaw, then tucks a strand of hair behind her ear.

She can feel his eyelashes tickling her cheek when he whispers, "Happy New Year, Kate."


End file.
